Tufting device



June 10, 1947. s. P. PARKER TUFTING DEVICE Filed July 8, 1946 INVENTORSAMuau P PARKER.

' ATTORNEYS Fug! Patented June 10, 1947 T-UFTIN G DEVICE .Samuel P.Parker, La Grange, -Ga., assignor to Callaway. Mills, La Grange, Ga, lacorporation of Georgia Application July 8, 1946;Serial'TNo. 6532;017

- 16 Claims.

This invention relates to devices for the insertion of tufts in fabricsfor decorative and other purposes andis concerned moreparticularlywith-a .novel manually controlled tufting instrument of the type that issometimes referred to as an embroidery pencil and includes areciprocating needle for inserting the tuft yarn and a presser foot forpreventing the last inserted loop from being withdrawn upon insertion ofthenext one. The new pencil is power driven, and it issoconstructed thatthe operator may insert tuft loopsIby-movingthe pencil in any directionover the fabric without the necessity of rotating the pencil to insurethat-the presser foot mllalwaystrail-behind the needle in position to.perform its intended function. The pencil is, accordingly, much easierto handle than prior similar pencilsand by its use, fabrics withintricate tuft designs or with tufts extending along curved lines may beproduced much-more rapidly than with prior implements.

In its preferred .form, the new pencil includes acasing, within which aneedle bar is mounted for reciprocation lengthwise of the casing. Thebar carries a needle projectible out of one end of the casing, as .thebar rec'iprocates, and a presser foot is mounted for rotary movement atthatendof thercasing and extends laterallyfrom thepath .of travel of theneedle. The needle bar is free to rotate about its axis and is connectedto the presser foot to move angularly therewith. The presser foot andneedle thus have asfixed angularrelation andthe foot extends rearwardlyfrom the .needle. .As the pencil is moved over the'ffabric inanydirectiomthe drag-of thetpresser foot on therfabric causes the footto trail behind the needle at a'lltimes and .thiscauses the needle to.enter the fabric with the presser -footalways to the .rearof the needlein position to hold-the last inserted loop against withdrawal upon thenextinsertion of the :needle.

lEor a better understanding of the invention. reference may be made -.tothe accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig.1 is a view .inlongitudinal section -.of one form .of the embroiderypencil of the invention; and

Fig. :2 is .a sectional view .on the line :II-eII o'fiFig.f1.

"The pencil .illustrated .in the drawing vcomprises .a casing ill) .ofgenerally tubularshape and made-of any suitable material. FI he-casingis ..formed withan end ll of taperedzouter diameter, and its opposite-.-end is closed by a plug [2 threaded .in place. A slide 13 .is mountedwithin the .casing'for lengthwise movement, and a-rod Misattachea-to theslide and-extendsout through a bore through the plug 12. The rod isadaptedtobe-eonnected to means for reciprocating the slide-and may, forexampleybe .part of a flexible shaft enclosed within the usual .flexiblecasing -l 5 I and connected to aneccentric pin l6onra-disk l-l mountedon-a driveshaft 1-8.

A ball bearing 19 is mounted in the slide and the: inner ring of thebearing receives and issecured-to oneendof-a hollowtneedlebar 20. Thebar thus reciprocates with the I slide but is free to move angularlyrelative thereto in the ball bearing.

A presser feet 21 is-mountedatthetapered end of -.the-casing andissprovided with a-tubularextension 2-2, which enters the end of thecasing and receives a portion of the needle bar. The tube and presserfoot are free to rotate about the axis of the 'casing but held againstlongitudinal displacement. For this purpose, the tube maybe formed witha crcumferential channel 23, in which a ballZlis-held by means of ascrew-25threaded through the wall of thecasing.

The needle bar carries'a tubular needle -'26 at its .freeend, and theneedle is-projectable out of the casing, when the needle bar isreciprocated by theslide. The free end of the needle is cut off at enangle-to giveit a beveled rearface 21, and the presser foot shouldextend rearwardly from the needle at all times in order that it mayfunction properly. The presser foot is, accordingly,heldin.-prcperposition and against angular movementrelative tothe needlebar, and, for this purpose, that portion .of the needle bar, which:enters the tube 22, is square or otherwise non-circular inoutlinezand-the bore of the tube 22 is correspondingly formed.

The yarn 28 is'supplied to the pencil'through a passage 2-9 through. theplug 12, and passes from the plug through the hollow needle barandthence through'the'needleto project beyond the -,.pointed endthereof.

In the-operation-of the pencil, itris placed on the fabric with thepresser :foot 2| in contact with the surface of the fabric and withtheneedle over the spot where the first tuft is to be inserted. As theslide, bar, and-needle movedown, the needle enters the fabric, carryingthe yarn with it. A loop of the yarn is inserted through the fabric bythe penetration of the fabric by theneedle and the retraction of thelatter, and, upon the insertion of a loop, the pencil is ad vanced tobring theneedle to the next-point where an insertion .is to be made. Asthe pencil is the axis of the pencil and the presser foot and needle barhave not been connected together against relative angular movement. As aresult,

it is necessary to rotate such a pencil, when itis of direction is made,to insure that the presser moved along a curved path, or any otherchange foot will always be to the rear of the needle. The

operator of such a pencil must, accordingly, pay

strict attention to the position of the presser foot at all times. Thenew pencil is so constructed that the presser foot is always in trailingposition, i

as the pencil is moved over the goods, and the operator may,accordingly, insert tufts in any direction without turning the pencil toinsure that the presser foot will be properly positioned.

I claim: 7 1. An embroidery pencil which comprises a casing, a needlebar mounted within the casing for rotary movement and also forreciprocation lengthwise of the casing, a hollow needle attached to thebar and projectable out of one end of the casing during reciprocation ofthe bar, and a presser foot mounted at said end of the casing formovement about the axis of the bar, thepresser foot extending laterallyfrom the casing, the bar being free to reciprocate relative to thepresser foot but being connected for rotary movement in unisontherewith.

2. An' embroidery pencil which comprises a casing, a needle bar mountedwithin the casing for rotary movement and also for reciprocationlengthwise of the casing, a hollow needle attached to the bar andprojectable out of one end of the casing during reciprocation of thebar, a presser foot mounted at said end of the casing for movement aboutthe axis of the bar, the presser foot extending laterally from thecasing, the bar being free to reciprocate relative to the presser footbut being connected for rotary movement in unison therewith, and a rodattached to the needle bar and projecting out the other end of thecasing.

' 3. An embroidery pencil which comprises a casing, a needle bar mountedwithin the casing for rotary movement and also for reciprocation 1lengthwise of the casing, a hollow needle attached to the bar and havingan end with a 1 beveled face 'projectable out of one end of the casingduring reciprocation of the bar, and a 1 presser foot mounted at saidend of the casing i for movement about the axis of the bar, the

presser foot extendinglaterally from the casing directly away from thebeveled face on the needle and being connected to the bar for rotarymovement in unison therewith.

4. An embroidery pencil which comprises a casing, a slide mounted withinthe casing for reciprocation lengthwise of the casing, a needle barmounted within the casing for rotary and longitudinal movement andconnected to the slide tached to the bar and projectable out of one enda presser foot mounted at said end'of the casing for movement about theaxis of'the bar only, the

V4 presser foot and bar being connected for rotary movement in unisonand the bar being freely reciprocable relative to the presser foot. 7

5. An embroidery pencil which comprises a casing, a slide mounted withinthe casing for reciprocation lengthwise of the casing, a needle, bar

mounted within the casing for rotary and longitudinal movement andconnected to the slide for reciprocation therewith, a hollow needleattached to the bar and projectable out of one end of the casing duringreciprocation of the bar, a presser foot mounted at said end of thecasing for movement about the axis of the bar only, the presser foot andbar being connected for rotary movement in unison and the bar beingfreely reciprocable relative to the presser foot, and a rod connected tothe slide and projecting out of the other endlof the casing. l

6. An embroidery pencil which comprises a casing, a slide mounted withinthe casing for reciprocation lengthwise of the casing,abearing carriedby the slide, a needle bar mounted within the casing for rotary andlongitudinal movementthe 7 bar having a portion within the bearingandbeing reciprocable with the slide, a hollow needle attached to thebar and projectable out of one' j for reciprocation therewith, a hollowneedle atu of the casing during reciprocation of the bar, and i bar, anda presser foot mounted at said end of" the casing for movement about,the axis of the bar only, the presser foot and bar being connectedtogether against relative angular movement and the bar being freelyreciprocable relative to the presser foot. a

'7. An embroidery pencil which comprises a case ing, a presser foothaving a tubular extension en-v tering one end of the casing, the footextending laterally from said end of the casing and being freelyrotatable about the'axis of said tubular extension but held againstmovement lengthwise therewith, and a needle carried by the barand;

lying within said tubular extension, the needle being projectable out ofthe extension during reciprocation of the bar, the drag of the presserfoot upon the fabricbeing embroidered causing the presser foot to assumea trailing position in relation to the needle during the operation ofthe pencil. V

8. An embroidery pencil which comprises a casing, a tube mounted withinone end of the casing against movement lengthwise of the casin but freeto rotate, a presser footconnected to the end of the tube and projectinglaterally from said end of the casing,;a needlef bar mounted within thecasing for endwise movementrand having a portion entering the tube, thebar being free to move lengthwise of the tube but connected theretoagainst relative angular movement, and

a hollow needle-connected to the bar and extending through the tube.

9. An embroidery penc'il'which extending through the tube, the free endof the needle having a beveled face away from which the presser footdirectly extends.

10. An embroidery pencil which comprises a casing, a hollow needle barmounted within the casing for endwise and rotary movement, a presserfoot projecting laterally from the casing at one end and having a partencircling the bar and connected thereto for angular movement with thebar, the foot being held against movement lengthwise of the casing, anda hollow needle mounted at one end on the needle bar and movabletherewith.

11. An embroidery pencil which comprises a casing, a slide mountedwithin the casing for reciprocatin movement lengthwise of the easing, arod attached to the slide and extending out one end of the casing, abearing carried by the slide, a hollow needle bar mounted in the bearingfor rotary movement relative to the slide, the bar extending lengthwiseof the casing and being connected to the slide for movement therewith, ahollow needle attached to the bar and havin an end projectable out ofone end of the casing during reciprocation of the slide, a presser footmounted at said end of the casing and extending laterally from the pathof travel of the needle, and means connectin the bar and. foot forangular movement in unison while permitting free reciprocation of thebar relative to the foot.

12. An embroidery pencil which comprises a casing, a needle bar mountedwithin the casing for rotary and endwise movement, the bar having aportion of non-circular outline, a tube mounted within one end of thecasing and having a bore receiving said portion of the bar and of across-sectional shape corresponding to the outline of said portion, thetube being free to rotate within the casing but held againstlongitudinal movement, a needle mounted at the end of said portion ofthe bar and movable through the tube, and a presser foot attached to thetube and extending rearwardly from the needle.

13. In an embroidery pencil, the combination of a needle bar mounted forfree longitudinal and rotary movement, a hollow needle attached to theneedle bar to move therewith, the needle having a free end cut off at anangle to provide an inclined rear surface, and a presser foot mountedfor rotary movement and connected in fixed angular relation to theneedle bar, the presser foot lying to the rear of the needle.

14. In an embroidery pencil, the combination of a needle bar mounted forlongitudinal and rotary movement, a hollow needle carried by the bar andhaving a rear beveled face, and a presser foot mounted for rotarymovement and connected in fixed angular relation to the needle bar andneedle, the foot extending rearwardly from said face on the needle, thedrag of the presser foot upon the fabric being embroidered causing thepresser foot to assume a trailing position in relation to the needle andthe presser foot causing the needle bar and needle to rotate with it.

15. In an embroidery pencil, the combination of a hollow needle mountedin the casing for reciprocation and for rotary movement about its axis,the needle having a free end cut off at an angle to provide an inclinedsurface, said end of the needle being exposed beyond one end of thecasing during the reciprocation of the needle, a presser foot mounted atsaid end of the casing for free rotary movement about the axis of theneedle, means connecting the presser foot and needle for rotary movementin unison about the axis of the needle and with the presser foot lyingto the rear of the inclined surface of the needle. and means forreciprocating the needle, the drag of the presser foot on the fabricbeing embroidered causing the presser foot to assume a trailing positionrelative to the needle and to maintain the needle with its inclinedsurface facing rearwardly.

16. In an embroidery pencil, the combination of a hollow needle mountedin the casin for reciprocation and for rotary movement about its axis,the needle having a free end cut oil at an angle to provide an inclinedsurface, said end of the needle being exposed beyond one end of thecasing during the reciprocation of the needle, a presser foot mounted atsaid end f the casing for free rotary movement about the axis of theneedle, and having a surface adapted to engage the fabric beingembroidered and extending normal to the axis of the needle, meansconnecting the presser foot and needle for rotary movement in unisonabout the axis of the needle and with the presser foot lying to the rearof the inclined surface of the needle, and means for reciprocating theneedle, the drag of the presser foot on the fabric being embroideredcausing the presser foot to assume a trailin position relative to theneedle and to maintain the needle with its inclined surface facingrearwardly. v

SAMUEL P. PARKER.

REFERENCES CITED UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Myers Dec, 16, 1919Number

